The Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office has dropped murder charges against a 31-year-old Columbia man accused of killing a man in Jessup earlier this year.

Santos “Abel” Diaz-Lemus — who police say in June stabbed to death Fredy Lopez-Martinez, 29, of Columbia — is facing a single charge of manslaughter rather than first- and second-degree murder and assault, according online court records.

The office filed the new charge Sept. 22. Diaz-Lemus is still in jail without bond as he awaits trial, court records show.

It’s a significant downgrade as Diaz-Lemus faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison instead of a possible life sentence without the possibility of parole if he was found guilty of first-degree murder.

Police said Lopez-Martinez was in an altercation with Diaz-Lemus on June 16 in the 2900 block of Jessup Road where Diaz-Lemus “struck Fredy Lopez-Martinez in the upper body with an object.”

Lopez-Martinez initially survived his injuries and was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore after Howard County police officers found him the day after the fight suffering from his injuries in Columbia. His condition deteriorated, and police said he died in the hospital about two weeks later.

Anne Arundel police took over the case after investigating officers found the alleged assault had taken place in the Anne Arundel side of Jessup.

Diaz-Lemus would not be found until nearly a month later as police said he fled to Texas, grew facial hair to alter his appearance and was found with false identifications.

Neither the State’s Attorney’s Office nor Diaz-Lemus’ attorney would comment on the change in charges.

A spokeswoman for the Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have issued an immigration detainer request, asking officials to hold Diaz-Lemus as they review his case for possible deportation.

The request marks the third the department has made for defendants accused of killing someone in recent months.

Last week, Leobardo Jolalpa-Ramirez, 22, of Annapolis, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to stabbing his father to death. Immigration officials were seeking a detainer for him, as the State’s Attorney’s Office said he was in the county on employment authorization on deferred status.

In August, Martin Martinez-Ballinas was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to fleeing the scene of a fatal accident that left a 21-year-old Fort George G. Meade Marine dead after Martinez-Ballinas struck his motorcycle with his car in Gambrills back in February.

His immigration status was prevalent throughout the case, with immigration officials again seeking a detainer request.

It is unclear if the detainer request for Diaz-Lemus influenced the lesser charges. A call for comment from ICE officials was not returned Tuesday.